Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who is also a medical doctor, said Monday children can return to school safely, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, if there is a strategy in place before classes resume.
"It's not because they have an increased risk of complications it's because they don't want to spread it to other people," Cassidy told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "Saying wipe away a year of your education knowing that you are only 7 years old or 11 years old, you will never get that opportunity to learn . . . that is an opportunity cost that particularly affects those who are less well-off."
Instead, if there is a strategy in place to check children's' temperature when they get to school, and then have a testing strategy to determine if children are positive for coronavirus, "then you can protect the students, teachers, staff, and students family," Cassidy said.
"We can do this safely, and we must."
Meanwhile, "we must use the best medical science from the medical experts, and the medical experts will say if you do what I just described them, to screen for symptoms, check the temperature and then have a testing strategy in the school than people can safely go back," Cassidy said.
Teachers also do not need to approach children, and can maintain social distancing and wear masks and gloves, Cassidy said.
The senator also addressed the discussions over further coronavirus stimulus money, and said he agrees with the calls from President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for a targeted, $1 trillion approach for families, schools, testing, and for a tax base for state and local governments to support police officers, teachers, and more.
"A targeted approach is better because we continue to support people through the economic crisis, but we do it not just with an eye for the present, but also an eye for the future," Cassidy said.